3 posts tagged “Affordable Care Act”

Have you had chance to check out that poll where 2,000+ PatientsLikeMe members shared their views on the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”)? It was the largest patient poll on potential changes to the health care law, and several media outlets are now listening up.

“Raising the age of dependent coverage to age 26 was a lifesaver for our daughter. ACA is not perfect as there are stories of those who’ve hated it and it cost them more money in the long run, but there are just as many positive stories of all the people the ACA helped. Health care in this country is big business and complicated. The ACA didn’t uncomplicate it, but it helped many more Americans have affordable health insurance. It is a mistake to just repeal it without anything to take its place.”

“I lost my health insurance because my husband was laid off. Then, I had Medicaid for five months, but that was taken away because my husband made ‘too much’ on unemployment which wasn’t much. This doesn’t take into account our other bills like keeping a roof over our heads. I am in the middle of a disability case. I can’t afford insurance. If I start having seizures again from my [traumatic brain injury] or other issues, I am screwed financially. I don’t have any savings; I can’t work. I am borrowing money from credit cards just to make ends meet.

And to insist that I have insurance (the lowest quote I received was $270 per month) with no financial way of paying and getting fined because of that is an insult. I have been paying into a system that is supposed to help when I need it, but no. This has hurt me and so many others.”

Shawn, Lakewood, CO, living with severe traumatic brain injury

Thanks again to all who participated and helped elevate the patient point of view. Let’s keep the dialogue going, together.

With a new administration in Washington, the future of “Obamacare” is uncertain. So we wanted to know: What do patients think about potential changes to the Affordable Care Act (ACA)? More than 2,000 PatientsLikeMe members recently shared their thoughts in the largest patient poll on the 2010 health care law.

Previous large-scale polls about the ACA focused on the general population, rather than specifically asking people with health conditions to weigh in. But in this poll, we heard directly from 2,197 members living with a variety of conditions, including MS, fibromyalgia, Parkinson’s, depression, ALS, diabetes and cancer.

“Regardless of your political leaning, the great equalizer is that we’ll all become sick one day. At this time of uncertainty about the future of health care, listening to the voice of patients today will illuminate the path forward for all of us.”

Overall, PatientsLikeMe members have similar feelings and concerns about the ACA as the general population. But patients – who have regular, real-world health care experiences – see some benefits that the general population might have overlooked. Take a look at these snapshots of some key findings from the poll (tap each graphic for a larger view).

No go on repeal

Those who took the PatientsLikeMe poll* were more likely to oppose a repeal of the ACA than the general population**.

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What should be scrapped?

When asked which one component of the ACA they would eliminate, if they were forced to choose, patients were four times more likely to say they would eliminate the individual mandate vs. other components of the ACA.

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How helpful is the ACA?

More than 37 percent of patients said the ACA has been “very helpful” for people with chronic conditions, while nearly 20 percent said “somewhat helpful.” Also, nearly half of patients (46%) said the ACA needs only minor modifications.

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Strong opinions stand out

People living with major depressive disorder (MDD) as their primary condition were more likely to oppose a repeal of the ACA. The MDD community may have a stronger stance on recent health care policy because of a 2013 rule requiring insurers to cover mental health and addiction issues equally to physical health ailments.

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Money talks

Lowering costs is a priority for both patients and the general population. Lowering the amount individuals pay for health care is an important priority for 94% of patients and 93% of the general population. And lowering the cost of prescription drugs is an important priority for 96% of patients and 89% of the general population.

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“I think the problems with this health care program affect those individuals who are caught in the cracks … who do not make enough but do not make so little that they are covered by government programs,” said member Randy, who took the poll. “But we had these problems before the Affordable Care Act. So we need to fix [it], not take [it] away completely.”

What do you think about the ACA? Do you have a different take? Jump into the forum and keep the comments coming. Your voice – the real-world patient voice – matters.

About

At PatientsLikeMe, people with every type of condition are coming together to share their health experiences, find patients like them and learn how to take control of their health. The result is improved care for patients as well as an acceleration of real-world medical research.

Stay tuned to our blog for the latest happenings with our company, our patients and our mission of opening up the healthcare system.